Brussels gave Bratislava one month to respond to Brussels’ requests before taking further steps.
As reported by the European Commission’s press service
The European Commission has opened an investigation into Slovakia in response to changes to the whistleblower protection legislation that led to the dissolution of the Slovak Whistleblower Protection Office and the premature termination of the terms of its president and vice-president in December 2025.
The new law introduced a review mechanism allowing authorities and prosecutors to revoke whistleblower protection at any time, even if they had previously been protected under the preceding version of the law. The decision to revoke protection is not subject to judicial review, which could undermine the fundamental right to effective protection under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
The European Commission said that such amendments violate EU rules and issued Slovakia an official notification. Brussels gave Bratislava a one-month deadline to respond before potential further steps by the EU.
Context and potential implications for Slovakia
According to sources, this move by the European Commission comes amid rising pressure from lawmakers and non-governmental organizations regarding the independence of institutions and institutional measures related to the use of European funds and suspicions of fraud.
Zuzana Dlugošová, head of the Whistleblower Protection Office, said she had warned Slovak officials about possible breaches of EU law. According to her, if expert opinions had been taken into account, Slovakia could have avoided court proceedings over EU rights violations; at the same time, such developments could spur a more professional discussion about proper protection for whistleblowers in the country.
Slovakia has not yet provided an official response to the European Commission’s actions; the EC continues to monitor developments and reserves the right to take further steps depending on the situation.
Participants in the case emphasize that such developments could affect the country’s image in the eyes of the EU and its obligations to protect whistleblowers under European standards.
The European Commission has begun an investigation into Slovakia over the dissolution of the Whistleblower Protection Office.
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